Rangers Vs. Penguins: Rangers Make It Four Straight With Win Over Penguins
The New York Rangers won their fourth straight game with a 3-1 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins tonight. This is the fourth time this season the Rangers have won four or more games in a row. Henrik Lundqvist was solid once again tonight in between the pipes with some great saves.
Just five minutes into the game, the Penguins cashed in first with a goal coming from Ben Lovejoy. Lovejoy was the trailer on the play, and was uncovered by the Rangers as he gave the Penguins a 1-0 lead. Nearing the end of the first period, Brad Richards tied up the game by picking up a loose puck in front of Marc-Andre Fleury.
It wasn't the greatest period that the Rangers have played this season, but they found a way to get back into the game. About midway through the first, John Tortorella took his timeout and it seemed to of worked, as the Rangers finally got their legs back.
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Just three minutes into the second period, Brandon Dubinsky cashed in with a great play coming from Ryan Callahan. If anyone remembers the overtime winner in Pittsburgh last season where these two connected, it was just that but slightly reversed. Ryan Callahan made a great toe drag on the defenseman, and fed it over to Dubinsky who had the wide open net.
The Rangers played much better defensively in the second period, and basically shut down the Penguins top line. However, the Penguins did have their fair share of chances, but there was a guy named Henrik Lundqvist in the way. As if there wasn't enough fluky plays this game, Derek Stepan scored just a minute into the third period, and gave the Rangers a comfortable lead.
The puck was originally dumped into the zone, and Marc-Andre Fleury came out to play the puck, but it seemed to of his something in the ice and went right to Marian Gaborik. However, Gaborik was at a weird angle, and banked it off the post and out to Derek Stepan, who deposited the puck on the empty net. Everyone though Gaborik finally got his 300th career assist, but it was taken away after the puck touched a Penguin in front before going to Stepan. Poor Gaborik.
With the win, the Rangers are sitting comfortably atop of the Eastern Conference with 56 total points. The Rangers next game will be this coming Tuesday against the Phoenix Coyotes.
